How do you choose the right puppy?

It is very important that the puppy you choose matches your lifestyle, the size of your house and garden and the ages of the family members. Choose a puppy that is outgoing, with a pleasant nature and looks healthy. Mum and Dad will help with this. Please do not take a puppy any younger than six-eight weeks old away from his mother and make sure he is able to eat and drink readily on his own.

Preparation for the arrival of the new puppy

Remember he will find everything very strange from the minute he leaves his mother and home. He will miss his mother, brothers and sisters. By taking a little time to prepare for his arrival, it will make it easier for him to settle in.

The first thing your puppy will need is a suitable bed. An old box or basket raised off the floor away from draughts will be fine while he is growing up. The inside should be lined with an old blanket so he can snuggle into something nice and warm. Puppies are by nature clean and will seldom do the toilet in their own bedding so spread newspaper on the floor round the bed. Make sure the bed is in a quiet area of the house – a corner of the kitchen is ideal. You will also have to get a supply of suitable food for him so please check with the breeder for his dietary needs.

All puppies love to play and you should get him a special toy that he can safely chew. Remember puppies chew a lot, especially when they are changing their teeth, so make sure anything important is kept well away from him!

Lastly choose his name! Make it relatively short so he can learn it quickly and so that it is easy to use when you are calling him.

Arrival of your puppy

If you are bringing him home in the car, please remember a puppy can wriggle about and it is very easy to drop him. A cardboard box, with air holes and lined with newspapers, can be used to bring him home. If you have any other pets in the house, introduce them to your new puppy gradually and always under supervision. Never leave a new puppy alone with any other animal. Remember also to make a fuss of the older animal so that there is no jealousy which could lead to problems.

Feeding

Like human babies, puppies have small tummies and need to be fed little and often – three or four meals per day until they are six months old, then two meals a day should be sufficient.

Please do not be tempted to change your puppy’s diet too soon. If you do want to change it, wait until the puppy has settled in and is eating well, then introduce the new food gradually.

Vaccinations

A new puppy gets temporary protection from his mother, mainly through her milk. However this disappears when the puppy is between six-14 weeks old.

It is very important to vaccinate before this happens so please speak to Mum and Dad for them to arrange a visit to the vet’s surgery.

Toilet Training

Training should start immediately. Always leave a supply of newspapers at night beside his bed. Gradually, over a period of a few weeks, move the newspapers towards the door, at the same time reducing the area

covered.

Please remember not to allow him to leave his mess in public places like parks, playgrounds, playing fields or pavements, as this could lead you to a fine. Scoopers are a good investment.

Training

Before you take him out, your puppy must be introduced to his collar and lead. Start with a light collar and let him get used to wearing it on its own – but not too tightly buckled, just enough to stop him slipping it over his head. At this stage, you can begin basic obedience training. Keep the lessons short – say 10 minutes a time at regular times. Use short words like “sit”, “come”, “down” and “stay”.

Show him what you want and at the same time, clearly say his name followed by the command.

Always praise him when he gets it right but never punish him for not obeying a command or he will associate the command with punishment. Remember – MAKE IT FUN!

Exercise

The young puppy will get enough exercise by his natural playfulness at first but as he grows up he must be taken for regular walks.

As you can see from the above, owning a puppy involves responsibilities as well as pleasures but if you follow this advice, you will have a puppy who is a joy to own and who will repay the time and effort you have made many times over.

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